Effectiveness of family metacognitive training in mothers with psychosis and their adolescent children: a multicenter study protocol.

Background: More than half of women with psychosis take care of their children despite the difficulties caused by the disease. Additionally, these kids have a higher risk of developing a mental health disorder. However, no interventions have been developed to meet these needs.

Optimization of the reconstruction parameters in [I]FP-CIT SPECT.

The aim of this work was to obtain a set of parameters to be applied in [I]FP-CIT SPECT reconstruction in order to minimize the error between standardized and true values of the specific uptake ratio (SUR) in dopaminergic neurotransmission SPECT studies. To this end, Monte Carlo simulation was used to generate a database of 1380 projection data-sets from 23 subjects, including normal cases and a variety of pathologies. Studies were reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP) with attenuation correction and ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) with correction for different degradations (attenuation, scatter and PSF).

A 4-year dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging study in neuroleptic-naive first episode schizophrenia patients.

Alterations in the dopaminergic system have long been implicated in schizophrenia. A key component in dopaminergic neurotransmission is the striatal dopamine transporter (DAT). To date, there have been no longitudinal studies evaluating the course of DAT in schizophrenia.

Subclinical nigrostriatal dopaminergic denervation in the cerebellar subtype of multiple system atrophy (MSA-C).

Nigrostriatal involvement is considered an additional feature in the new consensus criteria for the diagnosis of the cerebellar variant of multiple system atrophy (MSA-C). However, so far, only a few studies, which include a relative small number of patients, give support to this criterion. Our objective was to assess nigrostriatal dopaminergic innervation in patients with MSA-C without parkinsonism by use of dopamine transporter single photon emission computed tomography (DAT SPECT).

Decreased striatal dopamine transporter uptake and substantia nigra hyperechogenicity as risk markers of synucleinopathy in patients with idiopathic rapid-eye-movement sleep behaviour disorder: a prospective study [corrected].

Background: Patients with idiopathic rapid-eye-movement sleep behaviour disorder (IRBD) may develop neurodegenerative conditions associated with substantia nigra dysfunction such as Parkinson's disease. In patients with Parkinson's disease, ¹²³I-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-nortropane (¹²³I-FP-CIT) SPECT detects striatal dopamine dysfunction resulting from nigral pathology whereas transcranial sonography (TCS) shows increased substantia nigra echogenic size, even before parkinsonism is clinically evident. We postulated that these neuroimaging changes could occur in a proportion of IRBD individuals who might then be at increased risk for development of a neurodegenerative disorder associated with substantia nigra dysfunction.

Quantification of dopaminergic neurotransmission SPECT studies with 123I-labelled radioligands. A comparison between different imaging systems and data acquisition protocols using Monte Carlo simulation.

Purpose: (123)I-labelled radioligands are commonly used for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of the dopaminergic system to study the dopamine transporter binding. The aim of this work was to compare the quantitative capabilities of two different SPECT systems through Monte Carlo (MC) simulation.

Methods: The SimSET MC code was employed to generate simulated projections of a numerical phantom for two gamma cameras equipped with a parallel and a fan-beam collimator, respectively.